It isn't as we expect it
by Aubrey Woods
Summary: The Final battle had only been described through Harry's eyes. This is story from Julie's point of view and her thoughts about the Final battle. She can lose everything she found dear... one-shot


**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own anything, it all belongs to J.K. Rowling!

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**_Life isn't as we expect it to be_**

It was dark, a cold and bitter night. It wasn't strange; since Voldemort's rise to power everything seemed .. well, gray and dull. Everyday rations in Hogsmeade made lives of its inhabitants miserable. At night, they couldn't go out because of a Caterwauling charm. If someone went out, the Death eaters would show up immediately thinking the someone was Harry Potter.

All shops in Hogsmeade were covered in posters with Harry Potter on them. There was at least one Death Eater in the village patrolling every day. People were scared and most days, streets were empty of everything and everyone.

A dark haired woman was sitting on the sofa, waiting for her husband to return from work. When it was ten minutes past eight, she started to become worried. She stood up and started walking around the room, every minute or so glancing at clock that was hanging on the fireplace wall.

Minutes passed slowly and by every minute, the young woman was becoming more impatient. At one moment she went to the window and looked out. There was barely any light in the street. One, maybe two lamps were lit, and rest of lamps were …devoid of any light. When the young woman was assured there wasn't any danger outside, she started walking around the room again, and as more minutes passed tears slowly begun streaming down her cheeks. She sat down on the sofa, beginning to sob.

Suddenly, she heard door open. She jumped and run to the door. As soon as she saw who it was, she smiled, running in his arms.

"Oh I thought something happened," she sobbed in his arms. He gently tapped her on the back.

"Shh," he tried to calm her down. "Everything is alright now."

"What kept you?" she asked, wiping her tears and walking to the living room, where she was sitting before he came.

"Just five minutes before closing the shop, someone came in. I needed to mend him some box. It took me more time than I thought it would. I finished as quickly as possible and Apparated directly in front of door," he explained.

"I was worried. I thought something happened," she told him, sitting down on the sofa, sighing. Absent mindedly, she looked out through the window.

"I've never thought it would be like this," she said, not looking at her husband. "All these murders and missings."

"I know, I know," he spoke, sitting down next to her. When he sat down, she lay on his chest, his heart beating calming her down. Now she felt secure.

"Today, when I heard that alarm," she started and then stopped. She remembered all the thoughts that crossed her mind, so terrible thoughts. "You don't know what I've gone through."

"What do you think - it was for me?" he asked. She sensed a hint of annoyance in his voice. She looked at him. He looked tired; before Voldemort raised to power they were so happy. They had a shop down the street and earned enough for living. Just month before Voldemort's rising they even thought about children. He wanted a child, and she wasn't so sure. She couldn't imagine being pregnant now.

"Promise me you'll survive through all of this," he demanded. Her eyes widen in shock, but nodded.

"Promise!"

"I promise," she said, kissing him.

An hour later, they were laying in a bed. Suddenly, they heard someone's voice. She flinched, immediately recognizing it.

"_I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."_

She looked at him. He was already out of bed dressing. She tried to produce a sound but nothing left her mouth. Just as she wanted to try once more her efforts were drowned by Voldemort's voice.

"_Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight!" _he said.

"Please don't go!" she pleaded. Her face was wet from tears, her eyes puffy and red. With one hand, she wiping tears.

"Julie, I need to help. I went there and can't let something happen. I want to fight," he said.

"But-," she tried to say something but was cut off by David's words.

"No, I can't sit here and wait for something to happen," David said and sat on the bed, looking at his wife. It hurt him to leave her like this, but he needed to go. He didn't want to sit at home, while Voldemort waited for someone else to kill.

"He said they have time until midnight. Maybe they'll hand over Harry." She said becoming desperate. She didn't want him to go; she wanted him to stay at home with her where it was safer. But part of her knew there wasn't any chance that he would stay. She sighed at thought.

"No," he said, cutting off any of her arguments. He was sure if she said another word he would think of staying, and he knew he would regret that decision.

"Stay in house. Don't leave!" he ordered, getting out of bedroom. She slowly got up and followed him to the front door.

"How are you going to Hogwarts?" she asked him, watching him put shoes on. He shrugged.

"I'm going to Hog's Head. I think that barman may know something," answered David. He opened the door and then turned and looked at Julie. She was broken.

"Good luck," she whispered. She stepped closer. He kissed her for goodbye and hugged. She watched him disappear with loud pop. As soon as she closed the door, she started crying. This time she didn't bother to wipe her tears. She let them fall on her cheeks. She returned to the bedroom, but not to lay in bed and cry, but she wanted to find photos from the wedding day.

She found an album, took it and sat on the bed. She slowly opened it, as if she was afraid of what was in there. For several moments she just stared at blank page with David's and her's name.

Julie turned page and looked at moving picture. It showed her and David at the wedding, dancing happily. The next picture showed a large party where everyone was dancing. She spotted David dancing with her mother. She quickly flipped over the next pages, barely glancing at them. She never thought it would be this painful. She never thought it would be like this, all this danger. And tonight there was war raging before her eyes.

Julie was too afraid of what was happening. Sometimes she just wished she could die. And now, her fear was what would happen if Voldemort won. Her life would change and everyone else's. David wasn't even beside her anyone. He was somewhere, she didn't know. Maybe at Hogwarts, preparing for fight.

She closed the album and stood up. Julie turned around, searching for something, but faced the mirror. She looked at her reflection and saw that she had changed a lot since the previous year. Her skin was pale from staying indoors all the time. She looked thin and tired. Her brown hair was just a mess. But this time she couldn't care less for her appearance. Sighing, she opened the door and left bedroom behind.

Midnight came rather quickly for Julie. She slightly flinched when heard clock stroke midnight. She stared blankly through the window. She could almost hear screams and see people dueling, spells hitting the walls.

It seemed like hours passed when Julie heard again a cold, high pitched voice.

"_You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured." _

Julie listened carefully to his words. She wished David wasn't injured or, even worse, dead. In fact, she wanted to believe he was alive and well. She wanted to believe in that so badly. She heard rest of Voldemort's speech, but didn't care whether Harry Potter would live or die, whether Voldemort will kill him or not.

"_One hour!" _She heard the two words and it seemed like they were hanging in the air. One part of her hoped he'll come back now, but another part doubted that. She knew David too well; he would never leave something he started and this wasn't any different.

Julie sighed and lay on the sofa; she tried not to feel anything. She couldn't bear imaging all scenarios that could happen.

Julie heard clock ticking one o'clock in the morning. She closed her eyes, not wanting to face the reality. This time she didn't cry; that couldn't help anymore. She just closed her eyes and tried not to think about anything.

Julie didn't realize that she actually had fallen asleep. There was some cheering in the street that woke her up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she realized what had happened. She jumped up and ran to the bedroom. She didn't look what she picked but dressed in the first thing she grabbed. She grabbed her wand and disappeared with loud _pop_.

Several moments later, she was standing in front of Hogwarts. The castle didn't look like anything she remembered. Windows were broken, parts of walls missing, blocks of stone lay on grass. Julie stared at the scene in front of her. Inhaling deeply, she opened the gate and headed into the castle. She tried her best not to look at the dead bodies and all blood on the land. Walking fast, she was soon in front of entrance. Once there was standing massive, wooden door. Now there was just parts of a door, since most of it was ruined in the battle.

Walking in, she heard some distant voices. She slowly walked to what she thought was the source of the voices. It led her to the Great Hall. Julie gasped when she stepped in. She had never saw hall like this. There were still four house tables, but nothing else was the same. The hour glasses with house points were broken. Emeralds, diamonds, rubies and … covered the floor. Julie need to be careful not to fall because of it. There were two or three students in the hall, no one else. She sighed in exasperation.

Suddenly, she felt a tap on her back. She whirled around, half expecting to see David smiling widely. But her heart sank as soon as she saw stern face of elderly woman. She recognized her as Professor McGonagall. When she was at school, McGonagall was teaching Transfiguration, but now Julie doubted that she was still a professor.

"How can I help you?" McGonagall asked, as gently as she could.

"I'm looking for David Banges," said Julie in whisper. She doubted that elderly woman will know where her husband was. McGonagall smiled kindly.

"Follow me," she said to the young woman and headed to the hospital wing. Julie followed closely behind. She looked in horror around the castle as they walked. She never imagined that something like this could happen to it. She always imagined it as magnificent castle, and no one could attack it. Obviously, she was wrong. Looking at walls, she imagined all duels that were happened there. Every moment, she expected to see David's body. Something was saying he wasn't alive, _something_. Whatever it was, she hoped it was wrong.

Julie didn't notice when they arrived to the Hospital wing. She was lost in her thoughts. McGonagall's voice snapped her from dreaming.

"We're here," she said and led the way in. A part of Julie was afraid of entering. She didn't want to see David's body; she didn't want this to be true. She wanted to wake up and see David beside her. She wished all this could be a dream and she'd wake up.

McGonagall was beside her as she looked at the beds, searching for David's. All beds were occupied. Many of people were hurt, some were dying, some were recovering. Julie didn't care about anyone else but her husband.

She searched for him and every time she didn't see him lying on one of beds, her heart would sink. She didn't excuse herself; she felt no need for it. Julie felt nothing, while searching for David all her emotions disappeared, all her hope, everything.

Suddenly, silence in the hospital wing was broken by a horrible scream. It was Julie's. She screamed and rushed to one of beds. There were tears streaming down her cheeks already. She hardly contained sobs.

"Oh David!" she sobbed on his chest. He was hardly breathing. There were many scratches on his face, and Julie couldn't imagine how more he had all over his body.

As soon as Madam Pomfrey heard her scream she hurried over. Julie didn't stop sobbing.

"Calm down!" Madam Pomfrey tried to calm Julie, gently tapping her on the back. Julie shook her head violently. She raised her head looking at Madam Pomfrey. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"What's wrong with him?" she managed to ask without choking in sobs. Madam Pomfrey smiled gently at young woman. It was bad, Julie could feel it.

"He received several stuns in his chest. He's barely making it," explained Pomfrey.

"Why isn't he in St. Mungo's?" asked Julie.

"They are full as well. They'll be sending group of healers as soon as they can," responded Madam Pomfrey. Julie just nodded. She hadn't any choice, she had to wait.

"Can I be alone?" she asked Madam Pomfrey when elderly woman didn't move. The woman nodded and left. Julie wiped the tears from her cheeks, trying not to start crying again. Her head was laying on David's chest, listing to his heart beating. It was so calming a sound, provuing that he was still alive, hurt, but alive. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sound. She relaxed.

Hours passed like that. She didn't move, she didn't say anything, but just lay on his chest. Julie didn't notice that some people were transferred to St. Mungo's and that healers arrived. She didn't notice anything around her.

A gentle tap on her back woke her up. She stood up, looking at the man who tapped her.

"I'm Healer Jones, and we want to transfer your-," the man introduced himself.

"Husband," said Julie.

"As I said, we want to transfer your husband to St. Mungo's," explained Healer Jones. Julie nodded her head and withdrew. Healer levitated David and went to a fireplace. He grabbed handful of powder and yelled in high and clear voice _St. Mungo's_. As soon as they disappeared in green flames, Julie grabbed another handful of power and yelled St. Mungo's.

Soon, she appeared in waiting room. It was very large and clean. The walls were painted in white, and there were several portraits on the walls. In the center of waiting room, there was woman calling out names. Julie looked around quickly, searching for David's body. They couldn't have gone far; she was just several seconds behind them. She saw David's body disappearing around a corner. She wasn't walking, but running, trying to catch with the doctor.

Finally she was on fifth floor where every injury was treated. Julie recognized David's body immediately in mass of other bodies. There was a Healer with him, with his wand out. It didn't take her long to come to David bedside.

"Is he going to survive?" she asked as soon as she was next to David's bed.

"We can't be sure at the moment," replied Healer, putting his wand back in his robes. She didn't know what to do now.

"Can I stay with him?" she asked. The healer just nodded, going to the next body. She sat in chair and blankly watched David's body. At least he was alive.

**_Eleven years later_**

"Mum, I've got a letter from Hogwarts," an eleven years old girl yelled from the kitchen.

"That's wonderful dear," the girl's mother was saying. Soon, Julie stood at the door with wide grin on her face. Sophie run to her mother and hugged her tightly. Julie kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"Today we'll go to the Diagon Alley," announced Julie. Sophie's eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Can we visit also visit the memoriam with dad's name?" asked Sophie, looking up at her mother. Julie didn't like that her daughter spent too much time in front of the memoriam with her dad's name. Julie would sometimes find herself in front of it looking for David's name. Now she knew exactly where his name was in mass of all other names. Sophie also knew. Every time they went to the Diagon Alley Sophie would insist on visiting memoriam. Julie nodded.

"Great!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Now go and get ready," said Julie. Sophie immediately went to her room. Julie sat in one of chairs in the kitchen and sighed.

Eleven years ago, David had died. No matter how many times Healers repeated to her that he was going to be fine, he still died. It took her a long time to recover. Not long after David's funeral, she discovered that she was pregnant, but even that didn't help Julie. She was still sad and depressed. It was half month after Sophie's birth, when Julie finally realized she grieved for too long. Since then, she had tried to keep on. Now she thought she managed pretty fine. The shop that David owned was now hers and she worked well. Her life got back at track.

Years passed and Sophie had grown from a baby to a young lady. Julie was proud Sophie had it, and Julie thought she should have been happy, but a part of her still wasn't. It meant losing her only child for most of the year. She still wasn't sure how she was going to survive without her. No matter how much she prepared, she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready for David's death either.

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**_A/N: _**This idea just popped into my head. You like it, do you? And many thanks to wonderful Beta DigiqueenTMIM!


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